Rare gas salvaging device



Feb. 15, 1938.

| c. STRINGER RARE GAS SALVAGING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l A ftorneys mandrel. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RARE GAS SALVAGING DEVICE Louis 0. Stringer, Chicago, 111., assignor to Eleci tronics Supply Corp, a. corporation of Delaware Application April 29, 1937, Serial No. 139,824

' 12 Claims. (Cl. 176-2) The present invention relates to a mechanical manually regulated and controlled device expressly designed for salvagingand temporarilystoring rare gas collected from certain incandes cent bulbs and especially neon tubes.

there is a dire need in industrial trades for a feasible method and means to salvage and reclaim highly expensive rare gases utilized in the manufacture of certain gas charged incandescent bulbs and tubes. Thus, the cardinal objective with which I am here concerned is the actual reduction to practice of practicable structural means for accomplishing this result with requi site efliciency and satisfaction.

In carrying out the principles of the present inventive conception, I have evolved and produced what -I believe to be an ingeniousdevice aptly fitted for this particular purpose. An outstanding object of the invention is, therefore, to perfect and provide a structure characterized by practical mechanical expedients appropriately coordinated to accommodate the conventional tube and to act upon .it in such a Way as to properly extract the gas and thereafter transmit the collected gas to a suitable storage tank for subsequent usage.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the preferred embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with-the principles and ideas herein explicitly described. Figure 2 is an enlarged central vertical sec- 40 tional view through the essential unitor gas trapping device illustrating to advantage how the desired result is attained.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the rare gas trap ping unit seen at the left in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail elevational view 01' the tube nipping means. I

' Referringnow to the drawings by distinguish 50 ing reference numerals, attention is first invited to Figure 1. As shown here, the desired, result may be attained through the instrumentality of the assembly depicted. To begin with, the numeral 6 designates an appropriate stand. This includesa base 1 having a vertical standard 8.

It has been my experience to ascertain that The tube from which the gas is to be extracted and salvaged'is denoted by the numeral 9, and a holding unit lll'is employed to accommodate t is. The unit I!) comprises a collar H slidable on the standard and held in adjusted position by a et Screw having a hand-wheel I2. The 'collar is equipped with a resilient spring l3 forming a supporting arm for a rubber cup l4 appropriately fashioned to provide a reliable seat for. the lower end of the neon tube 9.

The gas trapping unit, which is supported adjustably above the tube holder, is denoted as a general assembly by the numeral 15. As illustrated to advantage in Figure 2, said trapping unit comprises a glass cylinder l6 supported at its bottom on an annulus I! located directly beneath the closing disk orhead i8 resting on the upper end of the glass cylinder. The head I8 is formed integral with a supporting arm I!) terminating in a collar- 20 slidably mounted on the standard and adjustably held in place by hand-wheel or the like 2|. It will be noted that the tip of the tube '22 extends into the gas trapping chamber by .way of the annulus H. A gas tight connec ,tion is afforded here through the instrumentality of'ja rubber adapter 23. The adapter is preferably tapered and includes an attaching flange held in place by a clamping ring 25. provides the variable means to locate the 35 I packing gland serves to accommodate the reciprocatory and rotary tube fracturing instrument.

This instrument is characterized by a slidably mounted sleeve 28, that is, the sleeve slidably mounted in the packing gland 21. The inner end-of'the sleeve extends into the gas trapping cylinder where' it is provided-with normally contractible spring fingers 29. The free ends of the fingers are d isp sed in opposed relation and'pro- .vided with detachable cutting blades forming the nipping elements for the teat 22.

i It will also be observed that the diverging portions 3| of the 'springflngers, adjoined to the sleeve 28, function as cams for coaction with the spreading disk 3 2. The disk is carried on a stem or rod 33 slidably mounted in the sleeve. The upper end of the rod projects beyond the finger grip 34 on the sleeve where it is provided with a gripping knob 35.

Thesefeatures 21, 34 and 35 are housed within an inclosing rubber jacket 38 forming asort of providing a gas proof joint and at the same time permits the features 34 and 35 to be selectively actuated.

Attention is now invited to Figure 4, wherein the numerals 38 and 39 designate nipples to accommodate suitable hoses. One hose is indicated by the numeral 40 in Figure 1. It may well be assumed that the nipple 38 is designed through the instrumentality of a suction pump (not shown) to create a vacuum in the cylinder Hi. The other nipple 39 and its hose (not shown) is joined with pump means (not shown) to extract the salvaged gas and to reclaim it by storing it in a tank (not shown) for subsequent Naturally, the pump means and storage means may be considered as no specific part of-the present invention.

In operation it is understood that the tube 9 is placed in the retention cup l4. Here it is in a perpendicular position so that the upper fragile end may be lodged in the adapter ring 23.

With the machine thus set, that is, the parts It) and I5 in proper position with the tube 9 in place, a'vacuum 'is created in the cylinder It by way of the nipple 38 and its connecting hose 40. Then, the nipping tool is brought into play to release the rare gas for collection in the cylinder. This means that the jaws or blades 30 are normally elevated within the cylinder clear of the tube. It also means that the operator then catches hold of the knob 39 and lifts up on the rod or stem 33 to expand the fingers 29. This operation is clearly visible through the glass cylinder it. Then the tool is lowered'to bring the nipping blades on opposite sides of the teat 22. By releasing the spreader means'the blades are held tightly against the teat and then the entire tool is rotated by way of the handle to cut oil? said teat and to release the gas for collection in the trapping cylinder IS. The gas is then drawn ofi byway of the outlet 39, where it is suitably stored for re-use.

his thought that the description taken in connection with the drawings will enable a clear understanding of the invention to be had. Therefore, a more lengthy description isthought unnecessary.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described,-it is to be understood that minor changes coming within the field ofinvention claimed may be resorted to if desired.

I claim:

. 1. In a structure of the class described, a rare gas collecting unit having means to accommodate a gas containing tube, andmechanical manually regulated means in said unit to tap the tube and to release the gas.

2. In a rare gas salvaging device of the class described, a transparent cylinder having means to accommodate and hold in placethe end 01' the tube to be tapped, and a manuallycontrolled nipping tool mounted in said cylinder.

3. In a. rare gas salvaging device of the class described, -a transparent cylinder having means to accommodate. and hold in place the end of the tube to be tapped, a manually controlled nipping tool mounted in said cylinder, together with a nipple on saidcylinder adapted to accommodate 2,108,816 a dome on the top of the glass cylinder. The

a hose leading to a pump for extracting the collected gas and storing it for subsequent use.

4. In a rare gas salvaging structure of the class described,- a transparent cylinder having tube adapter means at one end, having hose connecting nipples to accommodate pump means to successively create a vacuum, and to extract the salvaged gas, and a nipping tool supported in said cylinder.

5. In a structure of the class described, a stand. a tube holder adjustably mounted on said stand,

stand, said trapping unit including gas tight adapter means for a tube, and a tube tapping tool of a manually controllable type.

6. In a rare gas salvaging construction of the class described,.a stand including a base, a standard on said base, a collar adjustably mounted on said standard, a resilient arm carried by said collar, a'resilient cup on said arm adapted to accommodate a gas charged tube, a second col.- lar mounted on said standard, and a gas trapping unit carried by said second collar and located directly above said first-named co1lar.'

'7. As a component part of an assemblage of the class described, a transparent gas trapping cylinder, a gas-tight adapter ring attached to the bottom of said cylinder and adapted to accommodate the tube to be acted on, and rotary and reciprocatory tool means mounted in said cylinder for breaking the glass to release the gas..

8. As a component part of a rare gas collector of the class described, a glass cylinder having an annulus at its bottom, a rubber adapter ring attached to and depending from said annulus and designed to accommodate an end of the tube to be tapped, a packing gland at the op-' ing operating means located on the exterior of the cylinder, a pair of spring fingers mounted on the inner end of the sleeve, a disk mounted on the inner end of the rod cooperable with said spring fingers for spreading the fingers,*and cutting blades on the free ends of said fingers.

9. In a rare gas salvaging structure or the class described, means for penetrating an incandescent or equivalent bulb, and additional means cooperable with said first-named means to trap the gas for re-use.

, 10. In a structural assemblage of the class described, gas trapping and salvaging means constructed to accommodate a frangible gas filled envelope, and complemental means coordinated with the first-named means to puncture the envelopeto release the-gas to be t-rapped.

11. In a rare gas collecting and salvaging device of the class described, gas trapping and sa1-' vaging means constructed to facilitate attachment thereto of a gas containing glass tube,

means contained within the first-named means for puncturing the tube to release the gas for accumulation in said first-named means, and

" said container to tap said tube.

LOUIS C. S'I'RINGER.

a gas trapping unit adjustably mounted on said I 

